Puddles the Fishing Cat has a Real Splash

Nothing is nearly as fun as watching a kitten play. Unless it is a kitten playing in water. In his new pool. And his name is Puddles.

Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden make a splash for their little resident

When staff create enrichment opportunities for the animals under human care, there is the evergreen hope it will be something that will live up to expectations.  Sometimes, however, it surpasses. This is the case for Puddles and his new play pool.  As posted on Facebook by carnivore caretaker Taylor Crews, “Puddles is going coconuts for his personal splash pad!”

Puddles accepts the challenge to battle a water spout

Much to the delight of twenty-thousand viewers who had seen the Facebook posted video, this is one kitten who doesn’t mind being wet.  In fact, Puddles is a Fishing Cat, a small carnivorous mammal that is found in North America. This little guy was born to 11-year-old Miri and 3-year-old Boon, but mom Miri didn’t have the mothering instinct.

A kitten is born…via c-section

Turns out, though, Miri and Puddles are both miracles, Miri undergoing the first successful cesarean on a fishing cat by an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited facility, and Puddles the surviving off-spring. Staff took up the challenge and Puddles continues to grow. Healthy and rambunctious, he has captured the hearts of one and all.

An endangered species

The Oklahoma Zoo website shared the following about the species:

Fishing cats are solitary animals and live an average of 10 to 12 years in human care. Native to the wetlands of India and Indonesia, fishing cat populations are declining due to habitat fragmentation and destruction, excessive hunting and the exotic pet trade.

The successful breeding programs of organization such as Oklahoma City Zoo does much to assure that we will continue to have endangered species in our world. There is hope when little ones like Puddles are born and even when circumstances prove challenging, those dedicated to the cause can make a difference.

To learn more about fishing cats and follow Puddles, be sure to check out the zoo’s website, Facebook, and Instagram pages.

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